Closure for tubes and the like



May 5, 1964 P. s. VAN BAARN 3,131,336

cLosum: Foa :rusas AND THE LIKE Filed April 13, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent O The present invention relates to closures for tubes and other types of containers, and more particularly to closures which enable a user to dispense controlled quanti- .ties of a pasty, liquid or powdery material from such containers. For example, the containers provided with the improved closure may contain toilet preparations, edible pastes, cleaning liquids or any other materials adapted to ow, either freely or under pressure, through one or more dispensing orifices.

An important object of the present invention is to provide a closure arrangement of the type in which a closure 'I member is threaded onto a dispenserror onto the neck vof a container and is shiftable toward and away from the container to alternately seal or expose one or more dispensing orifices, and in which the dispenser and the closure member are constructed and assembled in such a way that no material can flow toward and between the matingthreads by means of which the closure member is shiftable with respect to the container.

Another object of the invention is to provide a closure arrangement of the above outlined characteristics in which the closure member may sealingly engage with the dispenser at two or'more points.

A further object of the invention is to provide a closure arrangement of the above outlined characteristics in which the closure member and the dispenser are constructed and assembled in such a way that they form at least one seal at both sides of the mating threads.

An additionalvobject of the invention is to provide a very simple and reliable closure arrangement which may be manufactured of comparatively cheap and readily available materials, whose sealing action will remain unchanged after extended use, and which may be readily manipulated by persons having little technical skill.

A concomitant object of the invention is to provide av closure arrangement of the above described type certain components of which may be readily separated from a container and combined with another container, wherein the closure member cannot become detached from other components, and wherein the single or multiple sealing action is brought about in a fully automatic way in dependency on movements of the closure member into sealing position.

Y Still another object of the inventionis to provide a closure arrangement at least certain elements of which may constitute integral component parts of a container, such as a tube for a pasty substance, a vitreous or ceramic l vessel, a metallic can or the like.

With the above objects in view, the invention resides in the provision of a closure arrangement comprising a container which may but need not be formed with an in'- tegral or separable neck, a dispenser which vcomprises a tubular portion insertable into the neck or directly into the discharge openingof the container, the dispenser being formed with an at least slightly deformable annular rim which extends from its body portion in a direction away from the container and with a sealing member in the form of a preferably coaxial projection which extends beyond the rim in a direction away from the container, the projection and the body portion of the container being connected with each other and defining one or more channels for the passage of a powdery, pasty or liquid material stored in the container, and a closure member formed as a cap one end of which is provided with one or more dispensing orifices and the other end of which is lopen so that the cap may be placed onto the dispenser 0r onto the neck of the container. The cap is axially' shiftable with respect to the dispenser toward and away from the container so that the projection of the dispenser may alternately seal andexpose each 'discharge orifice. The cap is formed with internal threads adapted to mesh with external threads provided on the neck 'or on the dispenser so that the cap is automatically shifted towardor away from the container depending upon in which direction it is rotated with respect to the dispenser. A portion of the cap may constitute a sleeve which engages with the aforementioned rim of the ldispenser and deforms the same at least when the cap is moved into sealing position, the rim being deformable to such an extent that it forms a tight seal with the sleeve to prevent leakage of material rearwardly toward and between the mating threads. Alternately the sleeve may constitute a distinct internal annular member coaxial with the body portion of thecap, or the cap may beforrned with a sleeve and with a skirt adapted to receive the rim therebetween, the sleeve and the skirt defining an annular compartment of such magnitude that the rim is at least slightly deformed when caused to penetrate into the compartment.

Certain other features of my invention reside in the provision of an external flange on the dispenser which may be engaged either by the sleeve or by the open rear end portion of the cap to form a secondary seahi'and in the provision of suitable retaining means which prevents complete separation of the cap from the dispenser. The entire dispenser may consist of an at least slightly 4Vdeformable material, e.g. rubber or a synthetic plastic, and the cap preferably consists of a somewhat more or fully rigid synthetic plastic material.

The novel features whichare considered as characteristc for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, to-

gether with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following detailed description of certain specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in-whichz FIG. 1 is an axial section through a closure arrangei ment embodying my invention, the closure means in the v form of a plastic cap being shown in a position permitting discharge of a pasty, liquid or powdery material which fills the container;

FIG. 2 is a similar axial section through the closure arrangement showing the closure means in sealing position;

FIG.`3 is an axial section through a dispenser forming part of the closure arrangement; j

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the dispenser;

FIG. 5 is an axial section through a modified closure arrangement showing the closure means in open position;

FIG. 6 is a similar axial section showing the closure means of FIG. 5 in sealing position; and v FIG. 7 is a transverse section taken along the lin VII-VII of FIG. 5, as seen in the direction of arrows.

Referring now in greater detail to the illustrated embodiments, and first to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown a dispenser 1 made of a synthetic plastic material which is press 'fitted into the tubular neck 2 of a vessel or container 2a, the neck being formed with external threads 3. The dispenser comprises an annular flange 4 which abuts against the end face 2b at the open end of the neck 2 when the dispenser is driven home. The dispenser is essentially a tube having a main body portion 5 which communicates with the container and whose for- .l ing member here shown as a coaxial projection 7 which extends forwardly beyondtthe rim 6, i.e. in a direction away from the container 2a, this projection comprising a plurality of substantially radial supporting arms 8 exf tending toward v'and connected to or integral with the inner side of the tubular body portio'nv5 at the rear end or base 9 of the rim 6. The spaces 22 between each pair 'of supporting arms 8 constitute channels through which the contents of the container 2a may be discharged in a direction toward the projection 7. f

The channels 22 are sealable by a closure member or cap 10 which is coaxial with the neck 2 and dispenser 1' and whose periphery is preferably knurled, as at 11, to provide a better grip when the cap is turned with respect to the neck 2. The cap is formed with internal threads 12 adapted to mesh with external threads 3 on the neck 2, and its forward end portion is of a conical shape, as at 13. This conical end portion has a tip formed with a coaxial dispensing orifice 14 which is aligned with and is movable toward and away from the projection 7 when the cap is respectively shifted toward and away from the container 2a.

The open rear portion of the-cap 10 is formedwith tain the cap on the neck 2. Thus, the cap 10 is heldA captive for axial movements between the positions of FIGS. l1 and 2, i.e. toward and away from the container 2a, and is rotatable with respect to the neck 2.v vThe spacing of the retaining shoulder 15 from the internal threads 12, and the spacing of external threads 3 from the retaining rib 16 is such that the shoulder 15 engages with the v annular rearend face of the rib 16 when the orifice 14 is spaced from the projection 7 (see FIG. l). On the other hand, the length of the neck 2 rearwardly of the retaining rib 16 is suicient to permit axial displacement of the retaining shoulder l5 into the position of FIG. 2A in which the sealing member or projection'7 seals the rear end of the dispensing orifice 14; Thus,

y when in the position of FIG. l, the cap 10 cannot impede the ow of a pasty, liquid or powdered material from vthe container 2a, the material passing through the neck 2, 4through the tubular body portion 5 and channels 22 of the dispenser 1, and about the projection 7 toward and through the dispensing orifice 14.

An important feature of my inventionresides in the provision of an internal sleeve 17 which is preferably integral with the cap 10 and which is comparatively stiff so that it may deform the rim 6 at least when the cap is moved into the position of FIG. 2. The sleeve 17 has an inner surface portion 17a of cylindrical contour whose diameter is less than the maximum diameter at the forward end of the forwardly and outwardly flaring rim 6, and the sleeve is coaxial with the main body portion of the cap 10. The rear edge portion of the sleeve is chamfered around itsinner periphery to facilitate the insertion of the rim 6 when the cap is placed onto the neck 2.. In other words, the inner surface of the 18 flaring in rearward direction, i.e. counter to the direction in which the rim 6 liares outwardly and forwardly toward the cylindrical surface portion 17a of the sleeve 17. The forward end of the rim 6 is insliding and hence 4 s i FIG. 2'shows the cap 10 in closing or sealing position in which the cap is screwed down until the tip of the projection 7 comes into abutment with the inner side of the conical forward end portion 13, as at 19, to there- While the cap 10 is rotated and thereby axially shifted in a direction to move the retaining shoulder- 15 away from the rib 16, i.e. in a direction toward the container- 2r, the rim 6 is progressively forced into and is nally fully received in the stiff sleeve 17. The length of this sleeve is selected in such a way that the projection 7 fully seals the dispensing orifice 14 before the open, rear end portion 24 of the sleeve 17 comes into abutment with the flange 4, i.e. the sealing actionl between the sleeve 17 and ange4- is secondary to the sealing action between the conical forward .end portion 13 and the'projection 7.

Apart from any sealing which is brought about by the meshing threads 3- and 12, there are three seals against preferablyconsists of a material which is at least slightly deformable and more resilient' than the material of the v cap 10, the engagement between the projection 7 and the conical forward end portion 13 brings a deformation of vthe tubular body portion 5 forwardly of the ange 4 (see FIG. 2) so that the sealingaction between the rim 6 and the sleeve 17 is further enhanced whenever the cap 10 is drawn tight.. Consequently, any leakage between the flange 4 and-rim 6 on the one hand, and between the sleeve 17 on the other hand is practically impossible; therefore, no liquid, pasty or powderymaterial can escape rearwardly toward and between the threads 3, 12 and about the annularl rib 16.-

Though FIG. 3 illustrates a dispenser 1A of synthetic plastic material, this dispenser may bemade of rubber, if desired, it being important that the rim 6 and preferably the tubular body portion 5, too, should yield sufficiently to insure a multiple sealing action between the dispenser 1 and the cap 10.

As vis shown in FIG. 1, the rim 6 is preferably in permanent sealing contact with the sleeve -17, i.e. even ifv the closure member 10vis in open position. Thus, no mate-l rial can escape toward the threads 3, 12 at any time, regardles of the momentary position of the closure member. Referring now to FIGS. 5 vto 7, the modified dispenser 21 isexternally threaded, as at 23, and is provided with l i an annular retaining rib 26 which is spaced from and located rearwardly of the screw'threads 23. This rib is en- 20. The cap is formed with internal threads 12 adapted to mesh with the external threads 23 and is preferably knurled, as at 11', to facilitate better grip by the fingers of a user. The forward end portion of the cap 20 consists of a tapering crown 13 which is formed with -a coaxial dspensing orifice 14'.

The dispenser 21 is carried by a metallic, ceramic,

vitreous, or plastic container 30, and, to that end, comprises a flange 31 which is formed with a concentric collar 32. The seal between the container 30 and the flanged rear end portion of the dispenser 21 comprises three spaced ribs 33, 34, 35 von the dispenser and a complementary annular bead 30a on 'the container.

the container and that its tubular body portion 5 seals the discharge opening 30b in the container.

The dispenserv 21 comprises [an outwardly and forwardly Haring, comparatively thin, deformable rim 6' which is integral with the forward end of the main body sealing engagement with the cylindrical surface porportion 5 and which coaxially surrounds the sealing member or projection 7.', 7this projection being secured to the main body portion 5' by a' series' of preferably radial- It will be 1 seen that thedispenser' 21 actually constitutes a neck for received in the sleeve 27.

ly arranged supporting arms 8' defining therebetween channels 22 for the passage of a pasty, liquid or powdery material which is stored in the container 30. The main body portion 5' communicates with the container 30. The arms 8' are connected with the main body portion 5 at the rear end or base 9 of the rim 6'.

A portion of the cap constitutes a comparatively stiff sleeve 27 whose inner diameter is less than the maximum outer diameter of the rim 6'; thus, when the cap is screwed down and is thereby axially shifted in a direction toward the container 30, the rim 6' is forced into the sleeve 27 and the projection 7 at the same time moves toward and finally seals the dispensing orifice 14'. When in the sealing position of FIG. 6, the projection 7' bears against the inner side of the crown or forward end portion 13 at the point 19', and the rim 6' is then preferably fully The sleeve coaxially surrounds an internal skirt 36 which extends rearwardly in a direction away from the dispensing orifice 14' so that the parts 27, 36 define lan annular compartment 37 which tapers forwardly and outwardly in a direction toward the forward end 38 of the skirt 36. The forward end portion 39 of the compartment 37 is slightly narrower than the thickness of the forward end portion 40 on the rim 6. Consequently, when the rim 6' is forced into the compattment 37, i.e. when the cap 2,0 is fully or nearly fully screwed onto the dispenser 21, 'the forward end portion 40 of the rim is compressed between the sleeve 27 and the skirt 36 to form a tight seal at a point forwardly of the screw threads 12' and 23 which supplements the seal at the point 19' formed between the projection 7 and the crown ,13' as well as the seal between the rear end portion 29 of the cap 20 and the flange 31, the latter seal being located rearwardly of the screw threads.

According to a further modification of my invention which is not shown in the drawings, a non-threaded dispenser such as the dispenser 1 of FIGS. 1 to 4 may be -formed with a simple shoulder instead of a continuous ange 4 and the outwardly flaring rim 6 may engage with a sleeve which, as the sleeve 27 in FIGS. 5 and 6, com.

situtes a component part of the main body portion of the cap 10. Also, the dispenser may form an integral part of a container or of a container neck, or the dispenser may simultaneously constitute an integral neck of the container.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitue essential characteristics of the generic and specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and areintended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

l. A closure arrangement, comprising, in combination,

a container; a dispenser carried by said container and comprising a tubular body portion communicating with said container, said dispenser further comprising at least slightly deformable annular rim means connected with said body portion and daring outwardly in a direction away from said container, and sealing means surrounded by and extending beyond said rim means, said sealing means and said body portion defining channel means; and closure means surrounding and shiftable with respect to said dispenser toward and away from said container, said closure means comprising an end portion remote from said container and formed with dispensing' orifice means scalable by said sealing means when the closure means is shifted toward said container, and said orifice means being spaced from said sealing means to communicate with said channel means when the closure means is shifted away from said container, said closure means further comprising comparatively stiff annular sleeve means slidthe closure means is shifted toward saidcontainer, the

dimensions of said rimmeans and Aof said sleeve means being such that the rim means is at least slightly deformed by and sealingly engages with said sleeve means at least when said orifice means is sealed, said container further comprising an annular rib means on the, external surface thereof, and closure means further comprising an internal annular shoulder means, said rib means engaging said shoulder means as said closure means is shifted away from said container to prevent removal of said closure means.

2.- A closure arrangement comprising, in combination, a container; a dispenser carried by said container and comprising a tubular body portion communicating with said container, said body portionv formed with external threads, said dispenser further comprising an y:at least slightly deformable annular rim connected with said body portion and flaring outwardly in a direction away from said container, and a coaxial projection surrounded by cap is rotatable with respect to said dispenser and axially v Vshiftable toward and away from said container, said cap Y comprising an end portion remote from said container and formed with dispensing orifice means sealable by said projection when the cap is shifted toward said container,y

and said orifice means spaced from said projection to communicate with said channel means when the vcap is shifted away from saidv container, said cap further comprising comparatively stiff lannular sleeve means, said sleeve means having an internal substantially cylindricalsurface of a diameterless than the maximum diameter of said rim, said cylindrical surface sealingly engaging with said rim at least when said cap is shifted toward said container. v

3. A closure arrangement comprising, in combination, a container having a discharge opening; a dispenser of at least slightly resilient material removably and sealingly receivedin said discharge opening, said dispenser cornprising a tubular body portion communicating with said container and formed with external threads, an at least slightly comparatively stiff annular rim connected with said body portion and flaring outwardly in a direction away from said container, and a coaxial projection surrounded by and extending beyond1 said lim, said projection comprising a plurality of substantially radial arms connected to and defining a plurality of channels with said body portion; a-cap surrounding said dispenser and formed with internal threads adapted to mesh with said external threads whereby the cap is rotatable with respect to said dispenser and axially shiftable toward and away from said container, said cap comprising an end portion spaced from said projection to communicate with said channels when the cap is shifted away from said container, said cap further comprising an annular sleeve, said sleeve having an internal substantially cylindrical surface of a diameter less than the maximum diameter of said rim, said cylindrical surface sealingly engaging with said rim at least when said cap is shifted toward said container, said cap still further comprising an annular internal skirt coaxial with said sleeve and receivable in said rim, said sleeve and said skirt defining an annular compartment for said riml of such dimension that the rim is at least slightly deformed when the cap is shifted toward said container and said projection seals the dispensing orifice; and, .retaining means comprising external rib means on said dispenser between said' external thread and said container and an internal shoulder on said `cap engageable with said rib means when the orifice is spaced from said projection to prevent separation of the cap from saidv dispenser.

4. A closure arrangement comprising, in combination, a container comprising a tubular neck formed with external threads and'comprising an open end remote from said container; a dispenser of at least slightly resilient material comprising a tubular body portion sealingly receivedin said neck, an at least slightly deformable annular rim Aconnected with said body portion and flaring outwardly in a direction away from said neck, a flange surrounding said body portion and abutting against the open end of said neck, and a coaxial projection surrounded by and extending beyond said rim, said projection comprising a plurality of substantially radially arranged arms connected to and defining a plurality of channels with said body portion; and a cap surrounding Said dispenser and said neck and formed with internal threads capable to mesh with said external 'threads whereby the cap is rotatablewith respect to said dispenser and said neck whereby said cap is axially shiftable toward and away from said container, said cap comprising an end portion remote from said neck and formed with a co` axial dispensing orifice scalable by said projection when the cap is shifted toward said container, and said orice b eing spaced from said projection to communicate with said channels when the cap is shifted away from said container, said cap further comprising a comparatively stiff distinct internal annular sleeve, said sleeve having an internal surface comprising a substantially cylindrical portion of a diameter less than the maximuml diameter of said rim and a short interior portion flaring outwardly in a direction toward said container, said cylindrical surface portion sealingly engaging with said rim at least as the cap is shifted toward said container and said projection seals the dispensing orifice, said sleeve sealingly engaging with said ange as the dispensing orifice is sealed.

5. A closure Varrangement comprising, in combination, a container; a dispenser carried by said container and comprising a tubular body portion communicating with said container, said dispenser further comprising at least said container, and sealing means surrounded by said rim means, said sealing means and said body .portion dening channel means; and closuremeans surrounding and shftable with respect to said dispenser toward and away slightly deformable rim means c onnected with said body Y portion and Haring outwardly in a direction away from from said container, saidclosure means comprising an end portion remote from said container and formed with dispensing orice means sealable by said sealing means when the closure means is shifted towardsaid container, and said orifice means spaced from said sealing means to communicate with said channel means when the closure means is shifted away from said container, said closure means further comprising comparatively stil distinct internal sleeve means, said sleeve means having an inl ternal surface comprising a substantially cylindrical portion of a diameter less than the' maximumtdiameter Vof said rim means and a second portion vflaring outwardly in a direction toward said container, said cylindricalsurface portion sealingly engaging with saidrim means at least when the closure means shifted toward said container.

6. A closure arrangement comprising, in combination,

a container; a dispenser carried by said container and comprising a tubular body portion communicating with;

said container, said dispenser further comprising at least slightly deformable rimmeans connected with said body portion and haring outwardly in a direction away fromV said container, and sealing means surrounded by and extending beyond said rim means, said sealing means and said body portion defninglchannel means; and closure means surrounding and shiftable with respect to said dispenser toward and away from said container, said closure means comprising an end portion remote from said container and formed with dispensing orifice means sealable by said sealing means when the closure means f is shifted toward said container, and said orifice means being spaced from said sealing means to communicate with said channel means when the closure means is References Cited inthe file of this patent` UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,081,585 Hall et al 'May 25, 1937 2,838,215 Robb et al. June 10, 1958 3,010,619 Gronemeyer et al. Nov. 28, 1961 

1. A CLOSURE ARRANGEMENT, COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A CONTAINER; A DISPENSER CARRIED BY SAID CONTAINER AND COMPRISING A TUBULAR BODY PORTION COMMUNICATING WITH SAID CONTAINER, SAID DISPENSER FURTHER COMPRISING AT LEAST SLIGHTLY DEFORMABLE ANNULAR RIM MEANS CONNECTED WITH SAID BODY PORTION AND FLARING OUTWARDLY IN A DIRECTION AWAY FROM SAID CONTAINER, AND SEALING MEANS SURROUNDED BY AND EXTENDING BEYOND SAID RIM MEANS, SAID SEALING MEANS AND SAID BODY PORTION DEFINING CHANNEL MEANS; AND CLOSURE MEANS SURROUNDING AND SHIFTABLE WITH RESPECT TO SAID DISPENSER TOWARD AND AWAY FROM SAID CONTAINER, SAID CLOSURE MEANS COMPRISING AN END PORTION REMOTE FROM SAID CONTAINER AND FORMED WITH DISPENSING ORIFICE MEANS SEALABLE BY SAID SEALING MEANS WHEN THE CLOSURE MEANS IS SHIFTED TOWARD SAID CONTAINER, AND SAID ORIFICE MEANS BEING SPACED FROM SAID SEALING MEANS TO COMMUNICATE WITH SAID CHANNEL MEANS WHEN THE CLOSURE MEANS IS SHIFTED 